Conveyer.



No. 7|s,375. Patented den. 23, I902.

J. o. BUCHANAN.

CONVEYER.

{Application filed Apr. 19, 1902.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

N0. 7|s,375. I Patented Dec. 23, I902.

} J. u. BUCHANAN.

CUNVEYEB.

(Application filed Apr 19, 1902. (No Model.) 3 Shams-Sheet 2.

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No. 7|6,375. Patented D50. 23, I902.

- J. D. BUCHANAN.

CONVEYER.

(Application filed Apr. 19, 1902.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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*rnrns JOHN D. BUCHANAN, OF OAKWOOD, ILLINOIS.

CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,375, dated December 23, 1902.

Application filed April 19, 1902.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. BUCHANAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakwood, in the county of Vermilion and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Oonveyer, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in endless conveyers, and has for its principal object to provide an improved form of conveyer for use in connection with dredging, excavating machinery, and the like to convey the dirt or other material from the dredge-bucket or shovel to any desired distance.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a conveyer which may be readily adjusted to deposit the dirt at different levels and may be readily traveled with the shovel or dredge-bucket.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the conveyer as to permit the carrying on of work in a deep out without exposing the workmen to danger from falling dirt or other material; and a still further object is to provide an excavating apparatus which may be used at all seasons of the year.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described,illustrated in the accom panying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a conveyer constructed in accordance with my invention, illustrating the same as used in connection with a steam-shovel. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, the parts being shown on a somewhat larger scale in order to more clearlyillustrate the construction ofthe conveyer and its supports. Fig. Sis a longitudinal sectional elevation through the dirtreceiving hopper and a portion of the receiving end of the conveyer. Fig. a is an elevation of a portion of the delivery end of the conveyer. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of one of the belt supporting and driving rollers. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the conveyer-belt. Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view of aportion of one of the con- Fig.

veyer-supports on the line 7 7 of Fig. 2.

Serial No. 103,774. (No model.)

Sis a transverse sectional elevation of the same on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional plan view of a portion of the conveyorframe and one of the supporting-struts on the line 9 9 of Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The conveyer forming the subject of the present invention is intended for use in connection with dredges, steam-shovels, or similar excavating machinery, or it may be employed in any other connection to deliver dirt, rocks, or any other material at a given point. In the drawings the device is shown as connected to a steam-shovel; but the latter is merely used as an instance of its application, the conveyor being placed in any position where it may receive material at one end and discharge such material at the opposite end.

10 designates a pair of vertically-disposed struts or standards, connected at their lower endsby diagonally-disposed brace-bars 11 and horizontal beams 12, the latter forming a frame to which are secured bearings for the reception of shafts carrying double-flanged wheels 13, adapted to a supporting-track 14, which is disposed at any convenient point with relation to the dredge or excavating machine. The struts are preferably in the form of skeleton beams, provided atintervals with cross-bars 15, on which may be placed blocks 15 for the reception of the projected portions of the conveyor-frame.

The conveyer-frame proper is formed of angle or channel bars 16 and 17, which extend in parallel lines from end to end of the conveyer and are united at intervals by vertically-disposed connecting and bracing bars 18, or the frame may be provided with the usual diagonal brace bars commonly employed in girders formed of structural iron. At the center of the frame and between the standards 10 is secured the lower'portion of a vertically disposed auxiliary frame 19, which is made of a height proportionate to the length of the horizontal frame, and the two portions of the frame are connected together by guys or stays 20, extending from eyes 21, near the upper portion of the vertical flange, to the upper ends of the vertical brace-bars 18. The structure is built on the cantaliver system and possesses considerable strength and rigidity, without necessitating the employment of heavy metal frames or girders. From the opposite sides of the central portion of the longitudinal frame project wing-pieces 22, the upper and lower ends of which extend through vertical slots 23,formed in the struts 10, the lower members of the Wing-sections resting on the blocks as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8. At the opposite ends of the channel-bars 17 are bearings for the reception of shafts 25, each carrying grooved belt-wheels 26, connected by a wire rope or link belt 27. One of the shafts is provided with a belt or other wheel29, which may be connected to an engine or other suitable source of power, and when used in connection with a dredge or steam shovel the belt-wheel may be driven from the engine on the dredge or shovel, if desired.

The conveyer-belt is formed of a number of sections of sheet-steel, as indicated at in Fig. 6, the sections being of thin flexible steel or other suitable metal possessing the required strength. The adjacent edges of adjoining sections abut and are riveted or otherwise secured to a T-bar 31, having a Web 32. To the web is bolted or riveted the bifurcated end of a pivot-pin 33, one of such pivot-pins being secured to each end of each T-bar and each pin carrying an antifrictionroller 34. The upper run of the belt is supported by the horizontal flange of the upper L-bar 16 of the conveyer-frame, the antifriction-rollers 34 resting directly on said flanges and preventing any sagging of the belt from the weight of dirt or other material carried thereby. The rollers on the lower run of the belt rest on tracks 36, supported by suitable hangers 37 from the main frame,or the vertical brace-bars 18 may be extended for this purpose. Each of the drums 38, mounted on the shafts 25, is provided with radially-projecting pins 39, adapted to engage with the projecting ends of the belt-pins 33, and thus transmit the rotat-ive movement of the main shaft to the conveyer-belt. When the driving-pins are in contact with pins 33, the rollers 34 rest on the periphery of the drums 38, the latter guiding the rollers from the upper to the lower trackways and vice versa.

At the receiving end of the con veyer-frame the longitudinal member is provided with uprights 41 for the reception of a hopper 42, having a removable bottom 43, connected to an operating-rod 44. The hopper is adjusted to a position Within reach of the steam-shovel 45 or the scoop or bucket of the dredge to which the conveyer is connected. The dirt or other material on the upper run of the belt is held in proper position by side guides 46, carried by suitable arms 47, projecting from the conveyer-frame, these guides extending for the full length of the upper run of the belt and preventing the dirt or other material from falling over the sides of the belt, so that workmen may be employed below the conveyer without being exposed to danger. At the discharge end of the belt is a scraperblade 49, held close to the surface of the belt and supported in any suitable manner by the conveyer-frame.

The receiving end of the conveyer-frame is connected to the steam-shovel or other apparatus by a link 50, having at its opposite ends pivot-pins disposed one in a horizontal and the other in a vertical plane to permit both lateral and vertical adjustment of the conveyer and the excavating-machine. When the device is used in connection with a steamshovel, the latter may move for a short distance without necessitating a similar movement of the conveyer, and when the conveyer is adjusted it may be shifted aslight distance in advance of the shovel.

In adjusting the conveyer-frame to different levels brackets are bolted to the inner faces of the struts 10 at points immediately under the conveyer-frame, and the latter is raised by hydraulic or other jacks placed on said brackets. The conveyer is raised a short distance above the position which it is intended to occupy. A block 15 is placed in each strut on the cross-bars 15, and the frame is lowered until the rounded lower ends of the wings 22 rest directly on said block. In order to hold the blocks in position, pins or keys 57 may be passed through openings at the opposite ends of said blocks.

In order to provide for tilting adjustment and enable the conveyer to discharge the material at a higher elevation than that at which such material is received, the top braces of each of the wings is provided with a horizontal plate 62, having a plurality of bolt-receiving openings 63, in order to permit of the adjustment of a holding-bar 64, carried by the plate and extending into the guiding-slot of the strut. This permits of considerable tilting movement of the conveyer-frame and enables the adjustment of the device to permit the deposit of the material being conveyed at any desired level.

During the Winter months devices of this class often become inoperative when handling wet material, the water freezing and holding the material firmly to the conveyer-belt. To overcome this difficulty, I employ steampipes 65, arranged under both the upper and lower runs of the belt and connected to a suitable source of steam-supply. To prevent loss of heat, the pipes are to some extent protected by lower plates 66.

The conveyer may be employed for any class of work and may be adjusted to any required level, or it may be inclined so as to deliver the dirt at a higher level than that at which it is received, While all danger from falling of dirt or other material or breaking down of the conveyer is overcome, the lower run of the belt receiving any dirt which might fall should the upper run break, while if the lower run breaks its parts will be supported by the track members 36 and prevented from falling to the ground.

' While the construction herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is the preferred form of the device, it is obvious that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the ad vantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. A conveyer comprising in combination, a frame having a horizontally-disposed member and a vertically-disposed member arranged about midway of the length thereof, guys connecting the upper portions of the vertical member to the horizontal member, supporting-struts arranged substantially in alinement with the vertical member of the frame and adapted to receive spaced portions of said vertical member, and a conveyer-belt carried by the horizontal portion ofsaid frame.

2. The combination in a conveyer, of the supporting-frame having trackways, toothed drums arranged at each end of said frame, a conveyer-belt, antifriction-rollers carried by the conveyer-belt and adapted to rest on the trackways and drums, and roller-supporting pins projecting beyond the outer edges of the belt and rollers and adapted to be engaged by the teeth of the drum.

3. A conveyor-belt comprising a series of sheets of flexible material, bars uniting the adjacent edges of such sheets, antifrictionrollers carried by said bars, and means for supporting said rollers.

4. The combination in a conveyer of an open-Work frame having trackways, rollers or drums arranged at each end of the frame, a conveyenbelt having at each side a series of laterally-projecting pins, rollers mounted on said pins, and resting on the rollers or drums and the trackways, and radially-disposed pins carried by the drums and adapted to bear against the roller-supporting pins while the weight of the rollers and apron is borne by the drums.

5. The combination in a conveyer, of the frame having trackways, revoluble drums arranged at each end of the frame, radially-disposed pins on said drums, a conveyer-belt formed of a series of sheets of flexible material, connecting-bars for securing the ends of adjacent sheets, roller-supporting pins extending from the opposite ends of said bars, rollers mounted on said pins and supported on the trackways and drums, the drum-teeth being adapted to be engaged with the rollersupporting pins to effect the movement of the conveyer-belt.

6. The combination in a conveyer, of the frame comprising horizontal and vertical members each formed of structural iron, connecting guys or stays for bracing the frame members, aconveyer-belt carried by the horizontal member, and supporting struts arranged substantially in alinement with the vertical frame member and having guidingslots for the reception of the frame.

7. The combination in a conveyer, of the frame having horizontal and vertical members formed of structural iron, a conveyerbelt carried by the horizontal member, supporting-struts having slots for the reception of portions of the frame, and adjustable blocks carried by the struts for the support of the frame.

8. The combination in a conveyer, of the frame having vertical and horizontal members, struts arranged on each side of the frame at points snbstantiallyin alinement with the vertical member, supporting-blocks carried by the struts for the reception of the projecting portions of the conveyer-frame, means for locking the upper portion of the frame to the struts to prevent independent movement of the frame, and a conveyer-belt carried by the horizontal member of said frame.

9. The combination with an excavating device, of a conveyer comprising a wheeled strut member, a supporting-track therefor, a conveyer-frame carried by the strut member and adjustable thereon, means for connecting the couveyer-frame to the excavating device, and a conveyer-belt carried by the conveyer-frame.

10. The combination with an excavating device, of a conveyor comprising a wheeled strut member, a supporting-track therefor, an adjustable conveyer-frame carried by the strut member, a link connecting the excavating device to the conveyer-frame and having its end connecting pivots arranged at right angles to each other to permit independent lateral and vertical movement of the excavating device and the conveyor-frame, and a movable belt carried by said conveyerframe.

11. The combination in a conveyer, of the frame having horizontal and vertical members formed of structural iron, guys connecting said members, supporting-struts for the frame, a hopper carried by the frame at the receiving end of the conveyer, a Wheeled conveyer-belt carried by the frame, a scraper arranged at the discharging end of the couveyer for contact with the belt, and side guards carried by the frame at points above and on each side of the upper run of the belt.

12. A conveyer-belt formed of a series of sheets of thin flexible metal having abutting edges and forming a practically continuous surface, cross bars to which the edges of abutting sheets are secured, and means for supporting said cross-bars.

13. A conveyor-belt formed of a series of sheets of thin flexible metal having abutting edges and forming a smooth and continuous surface, cross bars to which the abutting edges of the sheets are secured, said crossbars forming the sole means of support for the belt, and guiding and supporting means for said cross-bars. i

14. The combination with aconveyer frame and belt, of a pair of struts having guidingslots for the reception of portions of the conveyer-frame, cross-plates disposed at intervals throughout the length of said struts, and removable blocks adapted to rest on said plates and to receive and support the conveyer-frame.

15. The combination in a conveyer, of the frame having horizontal and vertical members, struts arranged on each side of the frame and adapted to receive projecting portions of the vertical frame members, and ad- 3' ustable bars or plates carried by the vertical 7 JOHN D. BUCHANAN.

Witnesses:

W. J. DILLON, J. H. JooHUM, Jr. 

